The family of a man killed last summer filed a case in federal court on Friday against the university officer who shot him, reports confirmed.
According to Reuters U.S, the family of Samuel DuBose, 43, filed murder charges against former officer Raymond Tensing. The family of Dubose declare in the lawsuit that Tensing used unnecessary force during the encounter. Tensing had initially claimed that he shot the victim during an off-campus stop because he was being hauled by DuBose's car. The family asked for unspecified compensatory damages and legal fees.
New York News said the University of Cincinnati police officer shot and killed DuBose during a traffic stop, claiming he was being dragged by the victim's car. However, an independent investigation found out that DuBose's car was at stop when the officer fired his gun. The incident was "entirely preventable."
A report from The Guardian states that Tensing's attorney Stewart Mathews has said his client had pulled over DuBose on July 19, 2015 for a missing front license plate. He added that Tensing was alarmed being pulled under the car as DuBose attempted to drive away.
The University of Cincinnati fired Tensing and reformed its public safety leadership. UC and DuBose's family settled a $5.3M agreement that includes free undergraduate tuition for DuBose's 12 children.
The Guardian held that DuBose's fiancée, DaShonda Reid, expressed her disappointment as Hamilton County Judge Megan Shanahan scheduled the trial on October and pre-trial on April. The family is unhappy that Tensing has remained free. He was released last year on $1M bond.
The shooting of DuBose came in the middle of nationwide protests against white police officers' brutality against unarmed blacks and other minorities. DuBose was black and Tensing is white, the source wrote.
Tensing, who pleaded not guilty to murder and voluntary manslaughter,is set to go to trial in October.
